My sermon notes from Sunday 7 August 2011
Matthew 16 verses 13 – 20
Ssubject: the church.
Matthew 16 verses 13 – 20
Ssubject: the church.
Overall the view of what the church actually is for many today – a building of brick and mortar. Then they would think of the tradition attached to the church in terms of marriages, births, baptisms, deaths. That is not the church of the New Testament of which Jesus is the head.
God’s plan for the church - “I will build my church.” Are you a member of Christ’s church? That is different than asking you are you a member of such and such a church. You could answer yes or no but are you a member of Christ’s church? We need to go back to the Garden of Eden, the days of creation when God was creating all things from the dust of the ground. He formed man and breathed into him so that he became a living soul. Then a deep sleep came on him and God took a rib from Adam and made Eve. God’s plan was to make a perfect couple. Everything he laid his hand on he declared it as very good. A perfect environment. God saw the mistake and failure of Adam and Eve. It didn’t take God by surprise. God didn’t go down into the Garden to talk to Adam by surprise. God knew all about Adam’s disobedience. He now said his plan for the world was for redemption. Man had fallen into sin and God had to take the very best he had to offer for the world’s sin. The lamb was slain. That is the foundation of the church. God put into the heart of his son to redeem this world. Are you part of God’s church today? The foundation of the great redemption plan. Remember the ark in Noah’s day. God said he would destroy the world with a great flood. He gave Noah instructions to build a great ark. The ark was built because of the judgement coming on the world. Everyone in the ark would be safe. This world is not spiralling out of control – God has got it in control and the world is spiralling to the day of judgement. All who entered into Noah’s were safe. All who come to Jesus will be saved. Are you in Christ today? There is but one church today. It is the church of Jesus Christ. When Peter was asked who Jesus was he replied “thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” Remember the pictures the Lord portrayed in the parables – the wheat and the tares. A man had a field and this field represents the world today. There are just 2 seeds in that field. There are the good and bad seeds. Then the servants come in and asked “why are there tares in this field?” That happened in the Garden of Eden. The devil came and sowed a seed of sin. From that day God has a redemption plan. Do not be deceived. As God looks on us he sees us as a field. There are those in the family of God and those who are not. God has a plan. In Acts 15 the elders of the church of Jesus Christ met together in Jerusalem. The gospel had come to the Gentile people and they were getting saved. Alarm bells rang in the hearts of the Jewish people. The leaders of the church came together and wanted to talk about it. They believed the people needed to be circumcised. James butts into the conversation and corrects them. He opens up the word of God and goes back to the prophets – verse 16. There is another day coming when the Lord will come back and take the church home. He will return and build again the tabernacle of David. He will come back to deal with the Jewish people. Are we in that number he is calling out? God’s plan for the church.
The people of the church – in Matthew 16 Jesus takes Peter to one side and asks him “whom do men say that I am?” Peter told him what other people said in the market place. Some referred to him as John the Baptist, others the prophets. Then Jesus asks Peter “who do you say I am”. At this moment in time Jesus is interested in you today. What think ye of Christ? The church is not a tradition but an active body with personal association to Jesus Christ. For us to belong to the church we need an association with Christ. It is only through the cross of Calvary. Not depending on tradition. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Doesn’t depend on confirmation or baptism – are you in that relationship today? When we talk of the church we are talking about the body of Christ. Having trusted in Christ as Saviour and Lord. The word translated from the Greek word means a called out people, an assembly, the gathering together. Can be used in different circumstances not necessarily a church group. In this light it means a congregation, an assembly gathered together of people. The word church is not translated directly from that word. It was kept in our Bible because before the Bible was translated into what we have today the Bishops got together and wanted to get rid of this idea. The Bishops said to King James “we don’t mind the production of a new translation but need to change the words.” The Bishops original meaning was a called out people, lose the meaning of materials and bricks. Jesus told Peter “thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church”. The rock is Jesus Christ – that is what church is depending on. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. What are we built on today? The foundation stone is the last stone to be put into the building. It is the most important stone. If we take away Jesus Christ everything else falls apart.
The place of the church – Ephesians 5 verse 25 “even as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.” The price was none other than Christ‘s life, death and resurrection. He stepped out into this sin cursed world, took on himself the form of a servant and became obedient onto death that we might be saved. We are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold. Are you saved by God’s grace?
The provision of the church – “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” verse 18.
God’s plan for the church - “I will build my church.” Are you a member of Christ’s church? That is different than asking you are you a member of such and such a church. You could answer yes or no but are you a member of Christ’s church? We need to go back to the Garden of Eden, the days of creation when God was creating all things from the dust of the ground. He formed man and breathed into him so that he became a living soul. Then a deep sleep came on him and God took a rib from Adam and made Eve. God’s plan was to make a perfect couple. Everything he laid his hand on he declared it as very good. A perfect environment. God saw the mistake and failure of Adam and Eve. It didn’t take God by surprise. God didn’t go down into the Garden to talk to Adam by surprise. God knew all about Adam’s disobedience. He now said his plan for the world was for redemption. Man had fallen into sin and God had to take the very best he had to offer for the world’s sin. The lamb was slain. That is the foundation of the church. God put into the heart of his son to redeem this world. Are you part of God’s church today? The foundation of the great redemption plan. Remember the ark in Noah’s day. God said he would destroy the world with a great flood. He gave Noah instructions to build a great ark. The ark was built because of the judgement coming on the world. Everyone in the ark would be safe. This world is not spiralling out of control – God has got it in control and the world is spiralling to the day of judgement. All who entered into Noah’s were safe. All who come to Jesus will be saved. Are you in Christ today? There is but one church today. It is the church of Jesus Christ. When Peter was asked who Jesus was he replied “thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” Remember the pictures the Lord portrayed in the parables – the wheat and the tares. A man had a field and this field represents the world today. There are just 2 seeds in that field. There are the good and bad seeds. Then the servants come in and asked “why are there tares in this field?” That happened in the Garden of Eden. The devil came and sowed a seed of sin. From that day God has a redemption plan. Do not be deceived. As God looks on us he sees us as a field. There are those in the family of God and those who are not. God has a plan. In Acts 15 the elders of the church of Jesus Christ met together in Jerusalem. The gospel had come to the Gentile people and they were getting saved. Alarm bells rang in the hearts of the Jewish people. The leaders of the church came together and wanted to talk about it. They believed the people needed to be circumcised. James butts into the conversation and corrects them. He opens up the word of God and goes back to the prophets – verse 16. There is another day coming when the Lord will come back and take the church home. He will return and build again the tabernacle of David. He will come back to deal with the Jewish people. Are we in that number he is calling out? God’s plan for the church.
The people of the church – in Matthew 16 Jesus takes Peter to one side and asks him “whom do men say that I am?” Peter told him what other people said in the market place. Some referred to him as John the Baptist, others the prophets. Then Jesus asks Peter “who do you say I am”. At this moment in time Jesus is interested in you today. What think ye of Christ? The church is not a tradition but an active body with personal association to Jesus Christ. For us to belong to the church we need an association with Christ. It is only through the cross of Calvary. Not depending on tradition. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Doesn’t depend on confirmation or baptism – are you in that relationship today? When we talk of the church we are talking about the body of Christ. Having trusted in Christ as Saviour and Lord. The word translated from the Greek word means a called out people, an assembly, the gathering together. Can be used in different circumstances not necessarily a church group. In this light it means a congregation, an assembly gathered together of people. The word church is not translated directly from that word. It was kept in our Bible because before the Bible was translated into what we have today the Bishops got together and wanted to get rid of this idea. The Bishops said to King James “we don’t mind the production of a new translation but need to change the words.” The Bishops original meaning was a called out people, lose the meaning of materials and bricks. Jesus told Peter “thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church”. The rock is Jesus Christ – that is what church is depending on. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. What are we built on today? The foundation stone is the last stone to be put into the building. It is the most important stone. If we take away Jesus Christ everything else falls apart.
The place of the church – Ephesians 5 verse 25 “even as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.” The price was none other than Christ‘s life, death and resurrection. He stepped out into this sin cursed world, took on himself the form of a servant and became obedient onto death that we might be saved. We are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold. Are you saved by God’s grace?
The provision of the church – “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” verse 18.
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